Thanks to Robert for posting this on my Facebook wall:
According to the website,
The organization here is pretty simple. You’ve got bars at the bottom representing the 1,189 verses of the King James Bible. White’s for the Old Testament, gray’s for the New Testament. Then a red arc links all the verses that contradict each other.
The King James Bible. Lovely.
Then, again, all this does is to show that the wrong use of literalism carries over even when someone loses their faith…
And of course, the commentary from this site,
Some of the contradictions are less “contradictions” and more or less a misunderstanding of the biblical text. But of course, when you’re trying to inspire skepticism, “understanding the text” as well as the point of the biblical literature isn’t what’s important. Pointing out apparent “fallacies” works if you’re simply trying to… 1) Preach to the “choir” (albeit an atheist choir) or 2) Discredit scripture.
If only they would take as much time to study the bible as they do to create pretty pictures likes this…
#1 by Josh on November 12, 2010 – 8:24 pm
Wow…purposefully misrepresenting the Bible in order to persuade folks. That’s grossly dishonest.
Gah, what else should we expect from Atheists?
#2 by Robert J. Wilson on November 14, 2010 – 11:18 pm
You’re aware that it’s statistically proven that atheists tend to be more familiar with the Bible than your average Christian, right?
The inverse of your statement is that Christians will do (and have historically done) anything and everything to protect and defend the Scripture from any manner of genuine critique, which over time vilified inquiry, thus forming the basis of the rift between science and religion. God forbid (literally) that people express any measure of doubt or questions about the veracity of the material on which billions base their eternal “souls”.
So
#3 by Joel on November 14, 2010 – 11:22 pm
You do realize of course, that it wasn’t atheists who gave the bible the first critique, but Christians, right?
#4 by Robert J. Wilson on November 14, 2010 – 11:35 pm
What percentage of Christians do you think are aware that Biblical critique is something other than sinful doubting?
My guess? 85%+
You’ve given me a new understanding of the Bible’s nuances, and I’m grateful. But the fact is that the vast majority of people are too superstitious to even ask questions for fear of “being struck by lightning”-which is delightfully ironic, considering that’s a reference to another deity entirely.
My point is that this graphic could inspire believers and semi-believers to dig more deeply into Scripture and at least become more educated on what they believe and why. Dismissing it entirely is unwise when it could serve to benefit the movement to which you’re so committed.
#5 by Joel on November 14, 2010 – 11:41 pm
More like 15% actually.
#6 by Robert J. Wilson on November 14, 2010 – 11:11 pm
I’m disappointed in your lack of understanding of the positive potential of this infographic.
I’m thrilled that you and your little biblioblogger friends (for the most part) promote discourse and critical thought on often wildly esoteric and purely academic aspects of Biblical teaching. For the record, I’m quite a fan of the wildly esoteric and do not apply “purely academic” as a pejorative.
As you well know from our regular discussions on the topic, it doesn’t matter what your relatively infinitesimal band of bloggers believe—what matters is that an overwhelming majority of believers subscribe to the KJV literalist view and argue from inerrancy in ways that marginalize and denigrate others in utter contravention of Christ’s teachings on selfless love.
The Bible is indeed filled with contradictions. That’s a fact. Some of the contradictions are the result of literary devices, figurative parables, and pure contradiction of terms. The Creation story may be the most egregious because two mutually exclusive sequences of events are offered in the very first two chapters of the Bible.
Why not consider the potential of this infographic to inspire deeper inquiry by Biblical literalists who could very well discover the deeper meanings of the various stories in Scripture?
By dismissing it out-of-hand, you’re fomenting an atmosphere where questions and doubt are discouraged-and I know that’s the opposite of your goal for this blog.
Have you read Sam Harris’ short book “Letter to a Christian Nation”? It’s actually a rather even-handed invitation to discourse written by one of “The Four Horsemen”; the others being Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett. Harris and Dennett are the most magnanimous of the four, which you would know if you read their books…
Again, just because you don’t like having the more unsavory aspects of Christianity exposed by atheists doesn’t mean that the atheists are incorrect in their assessment of the aforementioned sects that we both can agree would benefit tremendously from a kick in the pants to seek out the knowledge that you and your colleagues have amassed.
But leave it to knee-jerk fundamentalism to throw the baby (Jesus) out with the bath water.
#7 by Joel on November 14, 2010 – 11:30 pm
First, biblioblogging is not the Academy. The Academy, which is the world over, is the one promoting discourse. If you would step our of your neat little American fundamentalist shell, you would note that many millions of Christians view the bible differently than what you perceive that they do. Further, an ‘overwhelming majority’ of believers aren’t as you think that they are. Unfortunately, the loudest voices are those who line up with your notions of Christianity. But, if you watch Glenn Beck, and I don’t recommend that you do, you will not his diatribes against the rest of us. And, you should pay attention to Jim Wallis whom he regularly rails against and the overwhelmingly large majority of believers who identify with him rather than the fundamental types like Glenn Beck. Generalization gets you know where, really.
I am not dismissing it out of hand; instead, I am dismissing what the author has said. Like you, he assumes that all Christians are inerrantists. Not all are. As a matter of fact, recent surveys will reveal that a vast majority aren’t.
Atheists haven’t exposed anything, really. Read Origen, Clement of Alexandria and others who noted long before atheists that in Scripture contradicts exist, not only in facts, etc… but in the nature of God. These were Christians – and yet, you think that atheists revealed anything? Or read Bultmann and other modern scholars for their take on Scripture. And yet, you think that atheists suddenly, in the last decade or so, revealed anything?
Yes, I agree, your knee-jerk fundamentalism causes problems, especially when you continuously lump all of Christianity, and all of Christian history into the relatively small pot inhabited by the likes of Jerry Falwell and Tony Perkins.
#8 by Robert J. Wilson on November 15, 2010 – 12:34 am
I hate how you keep telling me to read all these books to support your assertions, but you flatly refuse to read any of the books I’ve recommended that would give greater insight into the mindset and rationales (plural) of the different atheist leaders’ views.
I seriously think you’d like “Letter to a Christian Nation” by Sam Harris. It’s a teensy little book (for real) that’s only 112 tiny pages long.
You’re right that I’m parochial in my view of Christendom, but that’s only because the only part of Christianity that really affects me is the American wackos who are standing in the way of my personal civil rights and otherwise making my day-to-day life miserable with their steady stream of dehumanizing vilification.
#9 by Joel on November 15, 2010 – 6:58 am
Fine, I’ll tell you what, I’ll read Harris’ book. As I’ve said before, I think that Dawkins and the other New Atheists are some of the greatest things to happen to Christiandom in a very long time. I have no real issue with them, except for, like you, their carrying over of fundamentalism into their Atheism.
One final thing, Robert – look at what Glenn Beck is saying. What Sarah Palin is saying. And others. They don’t like my Christianity anymore than they like your atheism. If you go to the gallows, I’ll be there beside you.
#10 by Robert J. Wilson on November 15, 2010 – 12:45 pm
I’m thrilled you’re reading Harris. He’s the most magnanimous of the 4 Horsemen. Plus it’s literally the shortest possible book from any of the four…
You think the “New Atheists are some of the greatest things to happen in Christendom in a very long time”, but you haven’t even read any of their books… I’m just sayin’…
You know I’m a HUGE fan of your open mind, but the distinctions that you see in Christianity are not seen by our supposed future hangmen. You’re considered “misguided” by today’s breed of American psycho-Christians; I’m apparently demon-possessed with at least two of their favorite verses explicitly calling for my brutal murder.
I appreciate your sense of brotherhood, and I recognize that you feel a certain outsider status because of your views on Christianity. But you’re not a dirty dirty homo whom God will smite with fire and brimstone raining from heaven…
I’m not saying that Glenn Beck doesn’t want to kill you. I’m saying that you’re like, a Tier 2-3 target at best.
#11 by Joel on November 15, 2010 – 1:08 pm
I read their essays, their news, etc… Further, more importantly, I watch the recoil of Christians when they speak.
Robert, I would urge to watch Glenn Beck and his ilk about us ‘misguided’. They use the same language on us as they do you, and blame us for the world’s problems. As far as the outsider view, not so much, since I’ve found more of my ilk once I opened my eyes.
Beck has been on record stating that he isn’t opposed to homosexual marriage, and yet will spend hours railing against my type of Christians.